Posted Saturday, July 17, 2010 @ 05:42 AM  

I guess the blue epoxy they use must be a 'slow set'. From my limited experience of laying up epoxy I'd have been terrified of a bagful doing an 'exo' and burning my hand off, but it's a neat method.

As for Perlan, wow, what a concept. I had no idea that there might even be rising air currents that could carry an aircraft that high. Some years ago I read a magazine article by Ernest K Gann describing his flight in the Dragon Lady, the Lockheed U2, up to 80,000ft. Up there it was flying very close to the stall but if I remember correctly the engine was the limiting factor and if it flamed out at that height the U2 had to descend to around 60,000ft before it could be relit. More recently we had a TV show here in the UK that had one of the 'Top Gear' presenters, James May, get a U2 ride up to 70,000 ft. Fabulous show and how I envied, still envy, May that flight.

The view from the Perlan cockpit is probably better than Lindbergh had from Spirit of St Louis.

Donald